Chapter Fifty Two

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It seemed a mockery on everything there was that Danny was broken and shattered inside and yet he was still attending school. His entire world had fallen apart, yet here he was taking a pop quiz and sitting at a desk and nodding along to the teacher and pretending like he had a great birthday and like his world hadn't just completely broken apart.

Andrew's classes were the worst, so far. Danny refused to look, speak, or even talk to or about Andrew, only staring at his desk and waiting until the class was over and he could leave. If anyone noticed his behavior and how his 'crush' had suddenly disappeared, no one said anything about it- "Hey, Fenturd." He had spoken too soon.

"What is it, Dash?" Ugh, Danny didn't even have the energy to play shy and scared teenager who got bullied everyday. He only looked up at Dash and- His shoulder was being patted?

"Get some rest, okay? You're looking worse than Mr. Riter, and he's dead." Did- Was- Dash. Dash was concerned about his health? "And, uh, talk to your friends, I guess? Jeez, man, I don't know, it just feels wrong to mess with you when you're like this."

"I… I'm sorry?" This was the weirdest day of his life thus far. It was official. He was apologizing for not being well enough to bully- What even? Dash only nodded and gave him a pat to his head - like he was some lost puppy - before walking away. "What the hell just happened?"

"I think that was our one miracle of high school," Tucker said quietly, staring after Dash with the same confused look Danny knew was on his own face. "Dash being nice."

"Yeah, great miracle." What a waste. "I'm heading to History before Grover kicks my ass." With that, Danny was turning and leaving before Tucker could try and say anything.

God, his friends were the greatest, but how could he ever look them in the eye and tell them that he had murdered someone? As far as they knew he was like this because of Spectra's death and the fight he had with Andrew and Randy. They didn't know…

"Mr. Fenton, you're- Right on time. Again." Raising an eyebrow at Grover's concerned look, Danny shook his head and took his seat. It wasn't like he was always late for History- Well, he used to be, since the class before this was French and, yeah, no. "Alright, class, notebooks and textbooks out. Today we'll be going over the Foundation of America before moving on to today's- I swear if I hear those songs one more time."

Tuning out the teacher easily enough, Danny got out just enough to make it look like he was following along before looking out the window and staring at the sunny skies. It had been six days since his utter breakdown in Vidya and five since he started coming to school and acting like everything was normal. Today was the fifth day, it was Friday, spring break began tomorrow, and Danny was contemplating running away to Wisconsin.

Before this mess Danny had been looking forward to spending a full week - eight days, technically - with Andrew and Randy, but now… He couldn't bare to look at Andrew since he returned to school and he hadn't seen Randy in just as long. The flashes of white he did see on occasion always happened to be clothes, papers, or backpacks.

It felt like he was driving himself nuts, but what else could he do? Randy and Andrew both knew just what Danny had done in the past and there was no changing it. Danny had killed Andrew and had only been the substitute until Randy got his act together. It was over and done with.

His breath hitched before he could begin to stop it, Danny squeezing his eyes shut and no. No. He would not have a breakdown in the school of all places. He refused to have a breakdown in the school.

"-for the last time, Ms. Sanchez, we are not watching the musical in class!" Yeah, he wasn't missing much. Adjusting in his seat anyways, Danny suppressed a wince at the twinges of pain from his back and chest. Randy had patched him up after that final fight with Spectra and his speed healing had kicked in, but it still hurt.

Really, the fact it hurt at all - near a week later - really showed just how powerful Spectra had gotten. How powerful she still was… Her words always hit their mark.

"Pst, hey, Danny?" Alright. First Dash and now Star was talking to him? How many A-Listers was he going to have to deal with today? "I left my notes in Mr. Riter's class and have a club meeting at lunch. Could you get them-"

"No." Fuck no, he wasn't going anywhere near Andrew's classroom if he didn't have to. "Get them yourself or have another nerd do it." Ah, silence. Wonderful, blessed silence.

The rest of the day passed in much the same way, no one else trying to talk or bother him, which, really, that was great. Thanks to his ghost hunting career, he even knew which paths to take to duck out of Andrew's sight the moment he saw or felt the other get anywhere near him.

"You can't avoid them forever, Danny." Looking to Sam with a raised eyebrow, Danny shook his head and did she even know him? "Alright, so, maybe you can, but what's the point?"

"Not feeling any more pain than I already do?" Seeing the look, Danny groaned. "Sammy, it's over, okay? It just… It wasn't meant to be." As far as Sam and Tucker knew there had been a very, very nasty fight.

"Uh huh. Right. Yeah. Because the whole 'mates' thing just meant short-term boyfriends. Got it. I won't make the same mistake again."

"Did I do something to hurt you, recently? Is this revenge for something? Because it feels like revenge for something." Mates. Mates were for ghosts, and, well, Danny wasn't fully human, now was he?

"No, I'm just doing my best friend duty to try and knock some sense into you." Yeah, right. "What are you doing for spring break?"

"Hiding in a dark corner and waiting for oblivion." Ah, that was a little too goth. "And playing video games." Better. That was better.

"Good, that means you aren't doing anything important-"

"I am not letting you kidnap me for some stupid rom-com adventure that cheers me up, shows me the meaning of life, and ends with a 'happily ever after' romance."

"Okay, okay, fine." Walking down the front steps of the school, Danny tried to think of a subject that they could use to pretend to be normal - at least for a little while - before arms were wrapping around his waist. "I'll just let them kidnap you."

"Bonjour, mon cher." Oh- Oh, fuck, no. He was not- Blinking, a smirking Randy was in front of him and touching fingers to his forehead with a smug grin.

"Bonjour." Ooh, he was in so much trouble. "We'll be sure to return him in one piece at the end of the week."

With that, a massive, swirling amount of energy built up around them, Danny's breath catching in his throat as he looked into eyes that were as white as snow. A blink and the energy broke and Danny was no longer in Amity Park. How did he know he was no longer in Amity Park? Oh, simple, really.

He was looking at the Eiffel Tower.

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Danny was proud to say that he did not break into a sobbing mess and beg to be let back into their lives and for things to return to how they had been. Really, that was the accomplishment of the year, right there. No, Danny didn't do anything embarrassing like that. Instead he threw a fit that had been going on for what was near two hours now.

"Are you guys even listening to me?!" Andrew and Randy hadn't spoken a word to him. "I don't want to be here. I want to go home- Get it? Home! My bed, my house, my life! I'm not- We're not- It's over!" He was a bit surprised that no one had been called up to deal with them considering they were in a hotel.

God, it was such a nice hotel, too. There was a large bed that took up the center of the room, a kitchen nook that looked cozy and warm, and a windowsill with open windows and curtains that looked right out towards the Eiffel Tower. It was- They were in France and there was no way Danny could teleport long distance like that. He was still trying to figure out how Randy had managed something of this scale to begin with.

"I want to go home, I want to go home, I want to go home! What part of that don't you two understand!" Danny hadn't looked at them, and they hadn't spoken to him. What could even be said? Spectra was dead, Danny had blood on his hands, and everything was 'as it should be.' What a fucking joke. "Randy, I swear to fuck, you had better take me home right this second!"

He hated himself. Danny hated himself. He had been wanting to visit France with these two for years. There had been so many daydreams where the three walked the city streets and Danny learned all about the little stories and secrets and memories and- Fuck. Fuck. "I want to go home."

Danny wanted to go back to the Ghost Zone. "I want to go home to my place." He wanted to go to the section of the library in Liz that he had called his own and read for hours and hours until Randy came to get him for lunch and teased him into chasing after him and played with him like they were kids hiding from their parents.

"I want to go home to my things." He wanted to go to Vidya were all his things had built up over the last few years to where Vidya felt like his room more than his bedroom in Fenton Works ever would. "Listen to me- Listen to me! I want to go home." He wanted to curl up in bed between Andrew and Randy and just for a few minutes pretend it was all like it should be and…

"I wanna go home." Danny hated himself for the way his voice shook and warbled. He hated the way his fingers twitched and his energy swirled around him. He hated the way he couldn't look at the two he had promised everything. He hated himself. "I just…"

Danny heard footsteps and he closed his eyes and looked away and waited. For screaming, for fighting, for one of them to pin him against the wall and take out every scrap of rage they had on him- Soft fingertips touched his cheek and guided his head back. The fingertips pressed softly against his cheek before leaving.

Worn, threadbare cloth was wrapped around his neck and Danny's eyes snapped open to see that Andrew had wrapped his scarf back around his neck. His scarf. Their… Their scarf. Andrew's gaze was focused on the scarf, fixing it and adjusting it and getting it just as Danny always liked it. A look up and Andrew smiled at him, a small and heartbroken little thing.

"Andy." Danny's voice cracked and he let it because he realized- He left Andrew alone. Oh, Andrew had Randy, he would always have Randy, but he left Andrew alone. Danny had shut him out for days and then he came back and shut him out. "Andy." He had done such a terrible thing and then he had ignored Andrew. He hadn't given a reason, or an explanation, or even an apology. He had done nothing.

Andrew had Randy, but Andrew and Danny were mates. Proper mates- He had devoted himself to Andrew just as much as Andrew had devoted himself to Danny. Andrew knew what the future held and he had still done everything he had and Danny- God, he might as well have spat in Andrew's face.

"Oh, mon cher." Andrew's hand cupped his cheek and his thumb swiped under his eye and- "Thank you for letting me see Randy again." Tears were already gathering in his eyes, Danny's breath hitching towards a sob as Andrew smiled at him with nothing but love. "Thank you for guiding me to you." Another sob was torn out of him and Danny clutched at Andrew's wrist, the man only leaning their foreheads together. "Thank you for giving me a new life, Danny."

He broke. This time, Danny broke utterly and completely. He sobbed and fell into Andrew's arms, shuddering as he felt Randy hover close by and bundle them even closer and oh, he broke completely. This time, however, he told them. He told them everything.

Danny told them of that first real talk with Spectra in the hallway when Andrew had just became the substitute and she had called him a suicidal teenager. He felt kisses pressed against the faint scars that wrapped around his left hand.

He told them of when she had tormented him with knowledge about the Sanctum and how they had taught others to kill. This time, he knew it was Randy who kissed him so softly, hands warm on his cheeks.

Sobs became quiet cries and he told them of how she had poked and prodded at the scar that was Dan and had been right when she said he was becoming so much like him and the only real solution to making sure that never happened… Andrew was the one to kiss him this time, pushing him back into Randy's chest and wrapping arms low around his waist.

The stories spilled out and it became about Spectra making him think he was crazy, Spectra pushing him to make him feel like his powers were out of control, Spectra pushing him closer and closer to death, Spectra making him feel like death was starting to be the only option- He told them that he almost wished he had stepped off the bridge. He told them that he almost wished he hadn't been caught. He told them that Spectra was right.

"She wasn't." The first words Randy had spoken since the school and they were whispered against his skin, Danny vaguely realizing they had moved to where he was between them and sitting on the bed. "She wasn't right about any of it, Danny. Not about you."

"She twisted the lies into truth and the truth into lies." Andrew kissed at his lips, Danny shivering as arms wrapped around his waist and hands wiped at the tears on his cheeks. "Oh, Danny… She was trying to kill you."

Danny had nothing to say to that. It felt like he was out of words and the only noises he could make was rough hiccups from the wake of tears and sobs that had been torn out of him. The silence settled around them and Danny shivered and arched into each soothing touch and kiss that was given to him.

His eyes trailed to the window and it was deep into the night, now. While it had hardly been past three in the afternoon when they had left, it was now closer to midnight here. A hand on his chest - right over his heart - had him looking up to Andrew. "Oh, Danny." There were so many meanings in those two words. I'm sorry, please forgive me, I meant to say something, I'm not angry at you, it wasn't your fault, I'm mad at myself, this was never your fault, I'm so sorry, oh Danny.

"I know." I'm sorry too, you were already forgiven, I should have asked more, I'm not angry at you either, it feels like my fault, I'm not mad at you, this was never your fault, I'm so sorry, I know.

Andrew pulled him into a hug and for a split moment Danny forgot Randy was even there - he was sure Randy didn't really mind that, though. It was- It wasn't on purpose, but it was- For Danny, it had been him and Andrew at the beginning. It had been them trying to figure out how to get something like this to work and blushing and stumbling around each other as if they weren't sure what to do.

So many things had happened that Danny had forgotten that it had been him and Andrew at the start of it all. Randy was so, so, so, so important. He wasn't… He wasn't sure if he could imagine his life without Randy, anymore, but god, Andrew… It was them, first.

The hug he was given made it seem as if Andrew understood that, too. It was a familiar hug. It was the kind he was given after he had woken up from a nightmare and oh, that was such an accurate description. That was what it felt like, though. It felt like Danny had finally woken up from a nightmare that had been going on for such a long time, but now… It was over, now.

Spectra was gone. Spectra was gone. She could never hurt him again except in dreams of his and even then these two idiots would chase her away just as they had always done.

"Danny?" The brush against his cheek snapped him back to focus, Danny leaning his head back to look up at Randy and oh- Oh. Things were a lot clearer now. "You back with us, petit mec?"

"You haven't called me that in a while." It had been him and Andrew, first, but Randy was Randy. "I mean, not that I'm against it, but it's just familiar, you know? Although definitely keep it up with the sappy sweet stuff- Sappy you is really nice, actually. So, uh, yeah, what?"

"I think that's a yes," Andrew laughed, scrubbing at Danny's cheeks and laughing even more when Danny was forced to scrunch his eyes shut. "You disconnected for a little bit. Are you alright?"

"Oh, uh, yeah? Ye… Yeah, actually. I think I am." It would take time to heal everything that had been done and said, but it was a start. It was a damn good start. "I think I'll be okay."

Just like that, the tension drained out of all three of them and while Danny wasn't sure who laughed first, it was all three of them that ended up a giggling mess on a bed in Paris, France in the early hours of the morning and oh god they were in France.

"Hey- Hey, did you guys serious kidnap me to France for spring break?" It was just- It was France! Maybe this was a late birthday present, too. "Oh, man, we only get a week, we have to see everything- I need a picture of us in front of the Eiffel Tower just so I can mess with Paulina, okay? I need to- Oh, man, we need to visit that Cathedral place, too. Um, the Hunchback of Notre Dame one!"

Danny couldn't tell if it was Randy or Andrew that snorted with laughter, but he was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and blame the non-existent jetlag- "Hey, how did you teleport us this far, anyway? Actually, no, I have a better question, can I see where you guys grew up?" Just like that, the mood shifted and Danny hated himself all over again. The hate didn't last very long as Andrew was giving him a very, very distracting kiss.

"Quit that," Andrew huffed, going back for another kiss a second after he parted. "It wasn't anger, Danny, we just…"

"We think it's time you know the truth." Randy cupped Danny's chin and pulled him up into a kiss of their own, Danny humming and pressing closer for just a second and, okay, he was a bit touch-starved.

"Sorry- Sorry, um, truth of what? That sounded kind of ominous. You guys need to work on things not sounding-" Another kiss cut him off, Danny feeling better at the smile he saw on their faces. "Okay. Okay, what do you want to tell me?"

"It's time you know the truth of the Sanctum and who we are. All of it." All of it. Everything. Hundreds of questions and Danny knew he would get thousands of answers. "Will you listen?"

Smiling, Danny shifted to kiss Andrew before turning to do the same to Randy. He settled between them, something inside of him finally settling. "Tell me everything."